Decorating apparatus



Filed May 27, 1943 4 She'ets-Sheet l INVENT OR.

WI TNEJJES- March 2, 1948. w, EMERSON 2,437,224

DECORATING APPARATUS I Filed May 27, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.WITNESSES.

March 2, 1948. w EMERSON DECORATING APPARATUS Filed May 27, 1943 4Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. m H. dam mm m p a 7- TOPNE rs.

WITNESSES.

MarchZ,v 1948. w. H. EMERSON DECORATING APPARATUS Filed May 27, 1943 4Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR W ,KQ J

WZ' TNESSES.

A 7' TORNE rs.

Patented Mar. 2, 1948 DECORATING APPARATUS Walter H. Emerson, EastLiverpool, Ohio; Elizabeth King Emerson, execntrix of said Walter H.Emerson, deceased, asslgnor to The Homer Laughlin China Company, Newell,W. Va., a

corporation of Delaware Application May 27, 1943, Serial No. 188,651

16 Claims. 1

the stamp and then presses it against the ware.

This operation is repeated ashe rotates the ware until enough segmentsof the design are printed to complete a circle. It will be seen thatsuch a method is very slow and requires skilled labor to match thesections of the design, to make the design circular, and to print thedesign clearly without smearing it.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide potterywaredecorating apparatus which stamps a complete design on a piece of warein a single operation, which is automatic, which is rapid in operation,which accurately positions the design on the ware, and which does notrequire a skilled attendant.

In accordance with this invention a support is Thus, the stamp may bemounted on the end of a horizontal arm which can be reciprocatedvertically and oscillated horizontally from a position above the inkingmember to a position above the ware. In case it is desired to stamp adesign on the upper surface of the bottom of the ware as Well as on itsbrim, two arms projecting in opposite directions may be used with astamp suspended from each arm. When the arms are swung to move eitherstamp over the inking memher, the other stamp is moved into positionover the ware, and when the arms are lowered, one

stamp is inked while-the other stamps the ware. The inking member isinked automatically while the stamps are raised, and means i provided toassure both stamps engaging the inking member with the same amountofpressure. Before it is stamped, the ware is centered on its supportand is then held in central position, preferably by suction. 1 4

The preferred embodiment of the invention is 2 illustrated 'in theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view of my machine withthe stamps raised; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through part of thelinkage by which the inking "member is indexed; Fig. 3 is an end view ofthe machine; Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of the inking membertaken on the line 1V-IV of Fig. 1; Fig. .5 is an enlarged verticalsection of the ware-supporting chuck taken on the line V-V of Fig. I;Fig. 6 is a plan view of the machine taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 1;Fig. '7 is a horizontal section taken on the line VII-VII of Fig. 1;Fig. 8 is a side view of the machine with the stamps lowered; Fig. 9 isan enlarged side view of the main cam that controls the vertical andhorizontal movements of the stamps; and Fig. 10 is a fragmentary planview taken on the line X-X of Fig. 8.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the table top I of a frame supportsa vertical sleeve bearing 2 rigidly mounted thereon. Extending throughthis hearing and the table is a hollow shaft 3 that is splined on a post4 rotatably mounted near its lower end in a bearing 5. This bearingprojects laterally from a cross member 6 attached to a pair of spacedbeams 1 and 8 extending lengthwise of the frame about midway between itstop and bottom. Rigidly mounted on the upper end of the shaft is acrosshead forming a pair'of arms 9 and i0 projecting in oppositedirections from the shaft.

The'outer end of'each arm is provided with a vertical opening in which asleeve I2 is slidably mounted. Threaded on the upper portion of thesleeve is a ring I3 rotatably connected to the underlying arm by acollar M. The ring can be turned by a handle 15 to adjust the sleevevertically in the arm. Slidably mounted in the sleeve ID are the upperends of stamp-supporting members 23 and 24. Member 23 supports a stamp25 for decorating the upper surface of the bottom of a dinner plate 26or the like, while member 24 supports a stamp 21 that .will stamp adesign around the brim of the same plate. Member 23 is slightly longerthan the other one because the center stamp engages the plate at a lowerlevel.

It will be seen that the stamps are cushioned by the springs 19 abovethem which permit the tubes II to be pushed up into the sleeves II. Thestamps therefore can properly engage the ware without danger of breakingit.

I Disposed above the table at opposite sides of bearing 2 and directlybelow the two stamps in axial alignment therewith are inking andwaresupporting members. As shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 6, theware-supporting member comprises a horizontal chuck 30 provided with acentral recess in which a flexible suction cup 3| is disposed. The topof the cup must be tightly engaged by the bottom of the plate 28 beforethe foot of the plate can rest on the chuck. The center of the cup andchuck have a passage 33 opening into the upper end of a vertical pipe 34on which the chuck is rigidly mounted. The pipe extends down throughtable i and is supported by a coupling 38 secured to the bottom of thetable and connecting the pipe with a tube 81. This tube is connectedthrough a valve 38 to a suitable source of suction (not shown). When thevalve is opened,

the air pressure between the suction cup and the plate is reduced sothat the plate is drawn down tightly onto the chuck and'held thereagainst displacement during stamping.

Just before valve 38 is opened, the plate is centered on the chuck bythree vertical centering fingers 40 mounted on the ends of arms 4|. Theopposite ends of the arms are pivotally mounted on the upper ends ofpins 42 secured to the .top of the frame at equally spaced intervalsaround the chuck and at uniform distances from its axis. Rotatablymounted on each pin below arm 4| is a roller 43 that projects into aperipheral groove in a horizontal ring 44. The ring is rotatablysupported by the rollers. The pivoted end of each arm has a bifurcatedlateraiprojectlon 46 that straddles a pin, proiecting from the top ofthe ring. It will thus be seen that if the ring is turned, pins 41 willswing the arms and cause the centering fingers either to engage andcenter a plate mounted on the chuck or to move away from the plate,depending upon which way the ring is turned.

For turning ring 44, a pin 48 projecting from its bottom is engaged bythe bifurcated end of an arm 49 rigidly mounted on the upper end of ashaft to that is iournaled in table I and in a bearing on beam 1 below.The lower end of the shaft carries a laterally projecting arm 53 (Fig.7) that is periodically swung back and forth by an actuating member.This member includes a screw 54 to which arm 53 is pivotally connectedand which is screwed into one end of a rod 55 slidably mounted inbearings 56 and 51 mounted on beam I. Mounted on the rod between thesebearings is a collar 58 between which and bearing 58 a coil spring 59 iscompressed for urging the rod toward the right. The movement of the rodin that direction is'limited by lock nuts 60 screwed on the end of therod and abutting against bearing 55. The other end of the rod engages anotched cam 5| (Figs. 1 and '7) rigidly mounted on a horizontal camshaft 62 journaled in bearings 63 supported by beams I and 8. Every timeone of the cam notches reaches the adjoining end of the rod, spring 59moves the rod toward the axis of the cam and there by turns shaft 50. Ifthe plate is engaged by .all three centering fingers before rod 55 stopsmoving, the plate will not be brcken because the spring is not strongenough for that.

Shaft 62 is driven continuously from an electric motor 84 mounted in thebase of the frame. The motor is connected by a belt 85 to a pulley 65 onone end of a shaft 81 which drives the cam shaft through a speedreducing unit 88, all as shown in Figs. 1, 3. and '7.

As shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 6, the inking member on the side of sleevebearing 2 opposite to the chuck includes a circular disc or platenrigidly mounted on the upper end of a shaft ll journaled in a bearing'12 mounted on table I. The platen is periodically inked with gold,silver or other ceramic color by a roll 13 joumaled in brackets I4mounted on sleeves 15. The latter are slidably mounted on horizontalrods 16 sunsmall openings in the bottom of the tank at the desired rateby air pressure which is supplied through a flexible hose 18 from asuitable source (not shown).

The color-carrying roll is rolled back and forth across the platen by apair of links so pivotally connected to sleeves I5 and to the upper endof a lever 8| that moves in a longitudinal slot 82 in the table. .Thelower portion of the lever is pivotally mounted in a bearing 83supported by a cross member 84 attached to beams I and 8. The lower endof the lever is pivotally connected by a link 86 to the outer end of anarm v8I pro- Jecting from a shaft 88 journaled in pedestal bearings 89on the bottom of the frame. This shaft is oscillated by a sprocket 9|mounted thereon andconnected by a chain 92 to a sprocket 93 mounted on ashaft 94 journaled in bearings 95 supported by the frame. Shaft 94 isoscillated by an arm 91 the outer end of which is pivotally connected bya vertical link 98 to the outer end of a lever 99. The opposite end ofthis lever is pivotally mounted on a horizontal shaft I00 journaled inbearings lfll connected to the side of upright members I 02 extendingfrom the table down to beams I and 8. The central portion of lever 99carries on one side a roller )3 that projects into a groove l|l4 in acam disc I05 (Fig. 9) rigidly mounted on cam shaft 62. Thus, as the camshaft rotates, the lever is raised and lowered, which oscillatessprocket 83. Shaft 84 also carries a bevel gear I01 that meshes with abevel pinion I08 on the lower end of post 4, whereby the post is turnedwhen shaft 94 is rotated. The relation of the gear teeth to-the pinionteeth is such that for each oscillation of the gear, the post is rotatedLikewise, the ratio of sprockets 9| and 92 is such that for eachoscillation of the larger sprocket, arm 81 is swung 180 to cause theinking roll to make one trip across platen 10 and back.

In order to reciprocate the stamps so that they will engage plate 26 andthe inking platen, a cylindrical bearing H0 is loosely mounted on thelower end of hollow shaft 3 between a pair of collars Ill. Oppositesides of this bearing are recessed to provide parallel flat areasagainst which blocks I I2 are reclprocable transversely of the shaft asshown in Figs. 1 and 7. These blocks are pivotally connected by pins 3to the forks 1 mi of the lever is pivotally mounted on down on post 4with which the shaft can rotate in bearing IIO. when the shaft descends,axial alignment of the stamps with the ware on chuck 30 is assured byguide fingers I I1 projecting downwardly from crosshead arms and I0 andwhich slide into the bifurcated end of a guide member II8 projectinglaterally from the top of sleeve bearing '2. Lateral movement of thestamps during stamping is thus prevented. Also, as the stamps descend, avalve tripper l'lfl projecting from the side of bearing IIO opens valve38 in suction line 31 and holds it open until after the stamps haverisen away from the ware.

Every time the stamps are moved downwardly the inking platen is rotatedafew degrees by an upright lever I20 rigidly connected at its lower endto lever H4. The upper end of the lever is connected by a compressiblelink I 2I (Fig. 2) to a pin I22 (Fig. 4) depending from an annularclutch plate 4 I23. This plate is oscillatably mounted on a stud I24projecting down from the center of a ratchet I26 having a hub projectingup through an opening in table I and rigidly.

fastened to the lower end of platen shaft II. Between the ratchet andthe clutch plate there is a ring I I21 of friction material againstwhich the clutch plate is tightly pressed by a coil spring I28compressed between it and a collar I 29 held on stud I24 by a nut I30threaded on the stud. Thus, when the clutch plate is rotated by link Hi,the friction ring I21 causes the ratchet and platen to turnwith it sothat color is distributed over it'uniformly. The distance that they canbe turned is limited, as shown in Fig. 6, by a stop I32 projecting fromthe clutch plate and engaging the end of a stop rod I33. fastened to thebottom of the table. The platen is thus brought to rest before a-stainpengages it, but if lever I20 is still in motion when the clutch plate isstopped, no harm will result because spring I34 in link I2I will absorbthe excess motion.

To prevent the ratchet from being pulled back to its original positionwhen lever I20 reverses its movement, aspring-pressed dog I35 ispivotally mounted on the bottom of the table with its free end engagingthe ratchet teeth, thereby permitting the ratchet to move in only onedirection. The clutch plate slides against the ratchet on the returnstroke of lever I20.

As mentioned before, the center stamp is necend of the machine as viewedin Fig. .1.

essarily disposed with its stamping surface at a 7 lower level than thatof the brim stamp 21. It therefore will be seen that unless something isdone to prevent it, the center stamp will engage the inking platensooner than the other one does and thus press against it withconsiderably greater force. This would be harmful to the stamp and wouldapply too much color to it so that it would smear the design on theware. Accordingly, to keep the center stamp from engaging the platenwith any more force then the brim stamp, the downward movement of thecenter stamp is positively limited. This preferably is done bymeans of avertical rod I40 slidably mounted in the tubular nut 2i above the centerstamp. The rod extends down through the spring I0 and has a head I atits lower end that engages the bottom of flange I8. The rod alsoprojects above nut 2| a considerable distance and its upper end isthreaded and carries lock nuts I42.

- When the crosshead is rotated and the center ,stamp is swung aroundinto position above the inking platen, rod I40 enters a lateral notchI43 (Fig. 10) in the end of a horizontal arm I44 projecting over thecrosshead from'a vertical column 3 I45 mounted on table I. Asthe'crosshead is lowered, the rod slides downwardly in notch I43 untilnuts I42 strike the top of arm I44 as shown 4 in Fig. 8. This prevents,any iurtherdownward movement of the center stamp. so the continueddownward movement of crosshead arm 9 slides the adjoining sleeve I2 downon tube I1 while spring I9 is further compressed inside. Of course, thecrosshead moves down only far enough to press the brim stamp 21 againstthe ware. Nuts I42 are so positioned on rod I40 that the center stamp isstopped as soon. as it engages the inking platen with the desired isamount ofpressure.

In using this "machine for decorating" dinner plates, for example, anoperator stands at the left He takes a plate 28 from a pile beside himand places it on chuck 30 while the stamps are raised. Just as cam I05starts to swing lever II4 downwardly to thereby lower shaft 3 and thestamps, the cam 6| permits spring 50 to push rod 55 to the right. Thisoperatesv to swing centering fingers 40 inwardly against the plate tocenter it On the chuck. Before the fingers are retracted, downwardlymoving valve tripper H9 opens valve 38 so that the plate is held bysuction in centered position on the chuck. Cam GI swings the centeringfingers out of the way before the plate is stamped. At the same timethat the plate is stamped by one stamp, the other stamp engages and isinked by the inking platen. Lever H4 is then raised by cam I05 to liftthe stamps to the position shown in Fig. 1. The plate in that figure hasjust been decorated by center stamp 25.

It will be observed that as cam I05 in Fig. 1 continues to be rotated ina counterclockwise direction by continuously rotating shaft 62, leverII4 remains in its upper position while the cam lifts lever 99 to theposition shown in Fig. 8. This swings arm 91 upwardly and therebyrotates shaft 94 which in turn, through gear I01 and pinion I08, turnspost 4 to swing inked stamp 27 in a horizontal plane to a position overthe plate and to swing center stamp 25 over the inki'ng platen. Shaft 94also rotates shaft 86 to swing arm 81 from its lower position in Fig. 1to its upper position shown in Fig. 8. This movement of the arm swingslever 8i on its pivot which thereby moves the inking roll across theplaten and back while the stamps are changing places.

Cam I05 then keeps the stamps in their new positions for a short timewhile it swings lever II4 downwardly to lower the stamps against theware and inking platen. The positions of the elements of themachine atthis moment are shown in Fig. 8. As explained previously, rod

and ratchet prevent the ,platen from turning backward. As shaft 3 rises,the valve tripper I I9' closes suction valve 38 which thereupon admitsatmospheric pressure to the underside. of the plate to release it fromthe chuck. Immediately thereafter, cam it! lowers lever II and therebyswings the stamps back to their original positions with the center stampready to stamp a new piece of ware as soon as it has been centered onand afhxed to the chuck by suction.

With decorating apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention,any personavho can place ware on the chuck and remove it therefrom candecorate the ware more perfectly and much faster than has been possibleheretofore. An entire design is stamped in a single operation onautomatically centered ware by an automatically inked and actuatedstamp. The result is lower cost and better decoration with losses due toimperfect decorations reduced to a minimum.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple and construction of my invention and have illustrated anddescribed what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However,I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyillustrated and described. 1

I claim:

1. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a support for ware beingdecorated, a decorating stamp spaced from the support, means forcentering ware on said support relative to the stamp, means for holdingsaid ware in centered position, means for releasing said centeringmeansfrom the ware as soon as the ware becomes held by said holding means,and means for effecting relative movement between said support and stampto stamp decoration on the ware.

2. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a vacuum chuck forsupporting ware being decorated, a decorating stamp spaced fromthechuck, automatic means for centering ware on said chuck, meansfor'eflecting relative movement between said 'chuck and stamp to stampdecoration on the ware, and means for releasing said centering meansfrom the ware before it is stamped.

3. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a horizontal support forware being decorated, a vertically reciprocable decorating stamp abovethe support, movable means for engaging the edge of and centering wareon said support relative to the stamp above it, resilient means formoving said centering means against the edge of the ware, means forholding the centered ware on the support, and means for moving saidcentering means away from the were before said stamp engages the ware.

4. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a horizontal support forwere being decorated, a vertically reciprocable decorating stamp abovethe support, laterally movable members for engaging ware on said supportand centering it thereon relative to the'stamp above it, resilient meansfor periodically moving said members toward said support, and means formoving said members away from the support after ware has been centeredthereon but before it has been stamped.

5. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a horizontal support. forware being decorated, a vertically reciprocable decorating stamp abovethe support, laterally movable members for engaging ware on said supportand centering it thereon relative to the stamp above it, means forperiodically moving said members toward and away from said support,means for holding the 8 were in centered position on the support andmeans for lowering the stamp against ware on said support after saidmembers have been withdrawn from said ware.

6. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a vacuum chuck forsupporting ware being decorated, a decorating stamp above the chuck, avertically reciprocable support for the stamp, means for centeringwareon the chuck, means for inking the stamp, and means actuated by saidsupport as it is lowered for reducing the air pressure between the chuckand centered ware resting thereon.

7. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a vacuumchuck forsupporting ware being decorated, a decorating stamp spaced from thechuck, means for centering ware on the chuck, means for reducing the airpressure between the chuck and centered ware to hold the ware in fixedposition, and means for efiecting relative movement of said support andstamp toward each other to stamp decoration on the ware, said centeringmeans moving away from the ware before it is stamped.

I 8. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a table, a support onsaid table for ware being decorated, an inking member on said table atone side of the support, a rotatable and vertibeneath the table forperiodically lowering the shaft to alternately move each stamp downagainst the inking member and then against the ware to stamp it.

9. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a support for ware beingdecorated, an inking member at one side of the support, a pair oflaterally spaced decorating stamps above said support and inking member,one of the stamps being smaller and lower than the other to stamp thebottom of the ware, means for periodically reversing the positions ofthe stamps over said support and inking member, means for lowering thestamps in both positions to ink them and to stamp the ware, and meansfor limiting the downward movement of said smaller stamp from itsposition above the inking member, whereby it engages the inkingmemberwith only the desired pressure.

10. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a support for ware beingdecorated, an inking member at one side of the support, a pair oflaterally spaced decorating stamps above said support and inking member,a common support for the stamps, one of the stamps being smaller andnormally disposed farther below said common support than the other,means vertically movable in t e support and carrying the smaller stamp.mea s for periodically rotating the support means for lowering thesupport in both of its positions to ink the stamps and stamp the ware,and means for limiting the downward movement of said stamp-carryingmeans when it is above the inking member, whereby the smaller stampengages the inking member relatively lightly.

11. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a support, a rotatablevertical post extending through said support, a hollow shaft splined onthe post and ioumaled in said support, a pair of arms projecting inopposite directions from the top of the shaft, a decorating stampsuspended from each arm, a ware-receiving chuck below one of the stamps,an inking member below the other stamp, cam activated means below saidsupport for periodically ro tating the post to reverse the positions ofthe stamps, and cam actuated means below said support for periodicallylowering said shaft to simultaneously move one stamp down against the.inking member and the other stamp against the ware.

12. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a rotatable verticalpost, a hollow shait slidably mounted on the post, a pair of arms pro-Jecting in opposite directions from the top of the shaft, downwardlybiased means connected to the outer end of each arm, a decorating stampconnected to the lower end of each of said means, one of said stampsbeing smaller and disposed lower than the other, a ware-receiving chuckbelow one of the stamps, an inking member below the other stamp, meansfor periodically lowering said shaft to simultaneously move one stampdown against the inking member and the other against the ware, and meansfor limitin downward movement of the downwardly biased means connectedto said smaller stamp when above the inking member, whereby to limit thepressure with which that stamp engages the inking member.

13. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a support for were beingdecorated, an inking member at one side the support, a rotatable andvertically movable vertical shaft, an arm projecting from the shaft in aplane above the support and inking member, a pair of vertically disposedtelescoping members mounted in said arm, a spring biasing saidtelescoping members apart, means for adjusting the telescoping membersvertically in said arm, a decorating stamp carried by the lowertelescoping member, means for turning the shaft to swing the stamp froma position above the inking member to a position above said support, andmeans for periodically lowering the shaft to move the stamp down againstsaid inking member and then down against the were to stamp decoration onit.

14. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a vacuum chuck iorsupporting ware being decorated, a decorating stamp above the chuck, avertically reciprocable support for the stamp. means for engaging theedge of ware i'or centering it on the chuck, means for inking the stamp,and means for reducing the air pressure between.the chuck and centeredware mting thereon, said centering means being released from the edge ofthe ware before it is stamped.

15. A potteryware decorating machinecomprieingaeuppcrtiorwarebeingdecoraman inking member at one side of thesupport, a pair oi laterally spaced decorating stamps above said supportand inking member, one of the stamps being smaller and normally on adifferent level than the other, means for periodically reversing thepositions of the stamps over said support and inking member, means forlowering the stamps in both positions to ink them and to stamp the ware,and means for limiting the downward movement of the normally lower stampfrom its position above the inking member, whereby it engages the inkingmember with only the desired pressure.

16. A potteryware decorating machine comprising a supportfor ware beingdecorated, anv inking member at one side of the support, a pair oflaterally spaced decorating stamps above said support and inking member,one of the stamps being smaller and normally on a different level thanthe other, means for periodically reversing the positions of the stampsover said support and inking member, means for lowering the stamps inboth positions to ink them and to stamp the ware, an arresting memberadjacent the inking member, and means connected to said normally lowerstamp for periodically engaging said arresting member to limit thedownward movement of said lower stamp from its position above the inkingmember, whereby it engages the inking member with substantially the samepressure as the other stamp.

WALTERH. EMERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The iollowing references are of record in the tile ofthis patent:

Number Name Date 15,764 Hackett Sept. 28, 1856 65,127 Shearman May 28,1887 524,610 Richards Aug, 14, 1894 $84,669 Buttler June 15, 1897641,440 Deidrlck Jan. 16, 1900 884,031 Mounttord Apr. 7, 1908 914,234Brown Mar. 2, 1909 1,082,579 Aylsworth May 27, 1913 1,410,212 Mix Mar.21, 1922 1,537,191 Reynolds Mar. 21,1925 1,599,918 O'Hara Sept, 14, 19261,620,447 Donovan Mar. 8, 1927 2,062,425 Peters Dec. 1, 1936 2,077,790Hakogi Apr. 20, 1987 2,102,808 Piperoux Dec. 21, 1987 2,105,400 BoothJan. 11,1938 2,835,213 Lawrence NOV. 23, 1948 2,885,840 Eebenstreit Nov.80, 1948

